The Temple Owls joined the Big East this week. Again.
I wanted to be sure to discuss the topic a little more because we didn’t quite get a chance to do so on today’s No 2-Minute Warning show on the Big Time Network.
The Big East extended an invitation to Temple to join the conference as a full league-member, which really is a significant step forward for the Philadelphia program. Is the Big East what it once was? Of course not, but do not be so quick to dismiss the conference now. The potential for it to be an entertaining conference moving forward is pretty solid, with Boise State, Houston, SMU and Temple joining next fall (as well as others), and Navy set to join in 2015.
I am by no means suggesting that these moves make the Big East that much closer to becoming nationally prominent the way the SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten are, but it does ensure they will be likely to stay ahead of the likes of the impending Conference USA-Mountain West Conference combination, probably.
So, what is next for the Big East?
Commissioner John Marinatto said he and the conference would be well suited and open to the possible negotiations to allow Pittsburgh and Syracuse to wiggle out of the 27-month waiting period, so they may join the ACC starting in 2013. The Big East feels they have a somewhat stable football membership that would be in position to lose two more schools without having to juggle and scramble around too much once the new members are brought in. The Big East will have 12 football members in 2012, with divisions likely to be split in to some sort of East-West fashion. My suggestion, for now, with division names of Colonial and Frontier:
| Frontier | Colonial |
| Boise State | Connecticut |
| Houston | Cincinnati |
| Louisville | Central Florida |
| Memphis | Rutgers |
| San Diego St. | South Florida |
| SMU | Temple |
When Navy joins the conference in 2015 they can slide in to the Colonial Division. The Big East has their eyes set on a western partner, which would make sense to move in to the Frontier Division as well. Air Force? BYU? Either would fit nicely in to the conference’s western foot print at that point.
But one other thing that was brought up Wednesday was the possibility of Villanova following through on moving up to the FBS ranks. The Big East has committed some financial resources to help out with the process if needed, and will waive any conference or NCAA entrance fees in order to add Villanova football to the Big East. Without getting in to a discussion on the pros and cons of Villanova once again toying with the idea, for now let’s assume Villanova DOES make the jump.
They would need to make the decision by July 1, 2013, so they may officially begin their transition to the FBS. The ideal situation, if Villanova moves up, would be for the Big East to have it worked out so the Wildcats could join the conference in 2015, when Navy joins, to keep membership as equal as possible on the football field until then. In that case, Villanova and Navy would both be best suited in the Colonial Division, which means
So here’s what those divisions could, in theory, look like:
| Frontier | Colonial |
| Boise State | Connecticut |
| Cincinnati | Central Florida |
| Houston | Navy |
| Louisville | Rutgers |
| Memphis | South Florida |
| San Diego St. | Temple |
| SMU | Villanova |
How does that work for you?
On the Show Today
We check in with the Oklahoma Sooners and Clemson Tigers to see what the big stories are this spring. Allen Kenny of Blatant Homerism and Cory Fravel of Cemetery Hill are the guests.
No 2-Minute Warning can be heard on the Big Time Network, in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas on Pioneer Digital TV, channels 150 and 152, every Friday at 5 p.m. Central. Be sure to check your local listings for channel availability.
If you cannot listen to the show, we will provide an audio link later tonight.
